buttrinthum | TDM #4

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TDM #4

Arrival / Enchanted Garden

Whether it be sleep or death, you feel your eyes close, and as your body begins to let go, you see a barn owl that is flying through the darkness, soon sweeping you across the clouded sky. You feel yourself mouth the words, “I wish, I wish..” and utter your deepest and darkest desire.

When you regain consciousness, you’ll find you are in an unfamiliar place with no recognition of how you arrived here. You have the clothes on your back, but nothing else. No weapons and if you had a particular superpower, you’ll notice it is missing. All you have is a satchel with a piece of bread, a vial of water and a potion. The potion could be red, blue or golden. There are no instructions about these potions other than two words: Drink Me.

Will you drink it or not?

There is a parchment, handwritten, and it simply gives you a welcoming:

“Welcome to my Labyrinth. Per our agreement, you have consented to live your life here for an undetermined amount of time. In exchange, I will grant you the wish that you desire the most.”

You’re in a garden, surrounded by flowers and plants– most of which you cannot identify. However, there are a few that you can make out: honeysuckles & day lilies Time spent too close to the day lily invokes a state of forgetfulnesss. The longer characters stay in the garden, especially if they are close to the day lilies, they will begin to forget important things about themselves. What they forget is up to the player, but longer time spent in the garden can reduce them to a completely amnesic state. Better hurry out and try to find the way out while you can! Honeysuckles will have no effect on characters unless they decide to drink the sap from them. The honeysuckle nectar will give characters a temporary power boost. This applies to characters who have drank their potion or have regained their powers. This might be useful to salvage for later, especially considering the chaos that goes on in Somnius!

It looks like there are plenty of others who are just now waking up from their dream-state as well.. why not go ahead and say hello?

[ The arrival aspect of this prompt is reserved for new characters, but anyone can interact with the garden flowers. The effects will last for a few hours or days. ]

It's Getting Hot in Here

Speaking of chaos, the current state of Somnius is.. not great. It's not by any other means than a natural disaster that is completely a coincidence and not because Dreamers rebelled against the Skeksis and didn't heed to townsfolk warnings, right? Right.

As the weather gets hotter and hotter, the obvious side effects become clear - most notably, the townspeople are closing up shop until the weather settles down. The usual markets don’t open in the wee hours of the morning and even the blacksmith has laid down his hammer during the midpoint of the days, trying to avoid the peak of the warm rush. Anyone trying to speak to the townsfolk about the sudden change in weather will find them oddly standoffish and almost rude - it’s obvious who they’re blaming for their predicament.

Another clearly dissatisfied group of society are the mermaids of Lake Omen, who may be spotted more regularly than usual across the span of the boiling hot heat. While still a rare sight, the warmth of the water encouraged a few more angry and bitter of their kind to poke their heads out and try and find the source of their woes - hand in hand with their usual siren call. It may be possible to have them leave you be if you offer them something a little on the cooler side, but with the weather as it is… It might end up being more of a challenge than anticipated.

The days go by and it doesn’t seem as though the heat is ebbing in the least, the sun blazing in the sky and the shops still kept under tight lock and key. Even some of the town staples - the bakery and the inn - have their doors close to strangers, trying to find some means of keeping cool. As the days go by, characters that have affinity to fire (or any kind of fire power!) may find that their powers are a little… Out of control.

With the sun high in the sky and blazing hot, some fire seems to be going a little haywire across Visium and not acting as it should. Be it burning a little hotter than intended, blazing out of control or simply refusing to work whatsoever, fire powers are acting with a mind of their own. Characters who have fire-related powers, be it their own or through potions, may experience the same hazards, on a scale of disobedience to refusal to work.

Finally, the heat does seem to die down and the townsfolk release themselves from their self-inflicted isolation, but they’re still not completely at ease with the strangers and keep them at an arms length: some things are not easily forgotten, and the damage seems to have been done when it comes to the skeksis. They may speak to characters once the heatwave is over, but will consistently refuse to talk about the Skeksis, the attack or anything to do with the taxes. You had your chance, you blew it.

So Take Off All Your Clothes

Somnius has, from everyone's knowledge, always been nestled around a giant labyrinth built by The Almighty Lord Vaeros, as some townsfolk say. What's so good about a lord who seems to leave a town in shambles and doesn't seem to help? He's sus. Everything about this is sus.

However, one morning during the heatwave, both townsfolk and Dreamers alike will hear a crumble and a crash.. almost as if a wall is broken. The labyrinth has always been indestructible, but as Dreamers investigate, they will find a hole broken through the labyrinth, opening up to a new era. Should you go through the hole, Dreamers will see an area they haven't ever seen before...

Welcome to the New Location: Indigo Sand Grove. As the name implies, the sand here isn't white or.. well.. sandy colored, but instead a beautiful dark blue with the occasional glitter grains. It almost appears black if the scorching sun isn't hitting it just right. Any other foliage or trees seen here will be typical of Earthly tropical beaches with the occasional unidentifiable vegetation. All in all, Indigo Sand Grove and its beaches seem welcoming and not harmful at all. In fact, there are bamboo garden chairs sitting out, enticing people to have a beach party and sun bathe! As soon as characters touch their feet into the indigo sands, their clothing will change into a swimsuit from their home. The swimsuit is for keeps! Enjoy!

The sea is safe to swim in, filled with typical fish that would come from Earth and crystal clear waters. Characters will feel a sense of joy on the beach. It's not a forceful kind of magic, but something about this place really wants you to have a good time, so why not take advantage of that?

I am Gettin So Hot, I Wanna... Hunt Beetles!

CW: bugs, beetle imagery

Along with a swimsuit, characters will find a bamboo net, designed for hunting beetles. You may see that there is a bamboo forest neighboring the sandy beach where characters will find insects to capture with their net. If capturing beetles isn't your forte, maybe just go up to the person you have a close bond with and hit them over the head with your net. The choice is yours.

Among the typical insects, there are three types of horned beetles. Anyone familiar with beetle fighting may see this as an opportunity to find their new pet, but those with money on the mind may find out that the townsfolk will purchase beetles for bonus shards. Here are the types of beetles and their values:

CLICK FOR BEETLES!

Horned Dynastid (Red): 5 bonus shards.

Horned Atlas (Black): 10 bonus shards.

Horned Hercules (Gold): 15 bonus shards.

There will be a ruined down, old sign on the main path in the bamboo forest that lists these types of beetles and their price. Team up together and enter the forest to find a fortune!

Suspicious Message #2

On the morning of the 1st, some dreamers will receive a message from an unknown user.

Who or what has broken your heart before?

They will feel compelled to respond with a truthful answer, as if their brains had gone into a trance, and before they know it, their response will be there for everyone to see. It cannot be deleted or changed. The user will not respond personally, but you get the sense they are definitely reading. Characters who are disinterested in romance can also mention familial or platonic heartbreak. It can also be a devastating event or anything else.

[ This is an additional network option for characters to interact with. Feel free to add a network prompt into any of your top levels. If you do not want to interact with this prompt, simply assume your character did not get the message. All threads are public unless actively privated by characters. We generally encourage threadjacking and engagement, so feel free to mention if threadjacking is fine with you so that others are aware. Note that the NPC will not be actively responding. ]

OOC

Welcome to the labyrinthum TDM! All events are game canon. New characters (invited or not) and old characters alike are welcome to play in it. Existing characters can start their own logs or network posts for the event if they wish to.

New and Old characters are welcome to top level on the TDM. Please state in the header if you are a new or old player! Also, new characters may link their top levels under the new character comment so they are easier to find. Thanks for your cooperation!

New characters will arrive depowered and with only their clothing, and will be given a satchel with a crystal pendant, a communication device, some water and bread and a magic potion. If they drink the potion, they will manifest an elemental, healing or animal transformation ability.

With the exception of Castle Vaeros, characters are free to go as they please, so feel free to place them in any of the locations available on the map.

You can find more information about the game here. Any questions regarding the TDM can go under the comment below.

Unique to this TDM, we have a beetle hunting event. Be sure to comment under the RNG Beetle Hunt to see which beetle your character finds in order to exchange later for bonus shards! One RNG per character, please.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The Zemnian wizard squinted at the sun in vague suspicion. Arriving and finding himself immediately changed into a bathing costume that, while admittedly to his questionable taste, was startling. His own magic was locked away from him -- even the cantrips he'd had at his fingertips for ages -- and now someone was playing magical tricks on him.

Not fair.

Yet, the beach was pleasant. The sun washed over the red-haired man, setting pale skin alight. The freckles that were dusted like sprinkled cinnamon over his face continued down over neck and shoulders and chest. Caleb had tied his hair back and up in a higher ponytail than he normally favored to keep it off his neck in the heat. The strange obsidian blue sand was intriguing, and he found himself approaching the water, quite ready to plunge himself into the waves when an unexpected sight stopped him in his tracks.

The familiar form of Essek Thelyss in a very unfamiliar manner of dress. Caleb could not be blamed for staring for a moment or two. Could he?

Eventually he shook himself out of the momentary stupor and started across the sand towards the drow, pace quickened. "Essek?" It was him, wasn't it?

His lavender skin almost blended into blue sand, and in fact he was quite surprised that a few people had come up to talk to him; the only thing that seemed to be perhaps set apart from the scene of blue waves and blue sand was perhaps the obsidian of his swimsuit or the slightly metallic tint to his sunglasses which perched on his nose and kept out the more unforgiving strands of sun.

He heard a voice and he stopped in his tracks. It was a familiar voice, and one that he had heard last in the ruins of Aeor-- a sharply zemnian voice reminding people of the odds, of a man humming as he poured over books from a far more ancient time.

Suddenly, Essek felt severely under-dressed and he pulled his coverup tight about him and glanced over his shoulder; there was hope behind shaded eyes however Caleb Widogast certainly would not be able to see that hope as they lit up his amethyst eyes. "Caleb...?" his voice pitched in a manner most questioning as he realized that he was not hovering, the sand squishing through his toes with a perverse sort of thrill that his Umavi would've disapproved of.

And perhaps that was a far different vulnerability. "Caleb.. how did you? I thought you were back in Aeor?"

It was him.

A strange rush of relief that Caleb would have to consider later washed over him, cool as the water that lapped at his toes. Essek was here, and Caleb felt immediately less alone. For all that things had become complicated between them, they'd begun mending those shaky bridges, and the drow was someone he trusted.

As Essek pulled that coverup tighter about him, Caleb remembered his own relative undress -- and he did not have the benefit of a coverup. But that was not important. He hesitated at the question. Back in Aeor, yes, yes he had been. But he'd also been in Folkmore, and the memories of that strange world tried to interpose themselves into the stint of time back in Exandria, and even with the keen mind he possessed, Caleb Widogast found it all a bit confusing.

"Much the same as you, I imagine. Trading wishes for... whatever this is." However unintentionally. "But ja, Aeor, that is where I was before I awoke in a garden."

There was so much relief in Essek's eyes and he was so glad that Caleb could not see it, instead he swiveled in the sand and made his way toward Caleb, and thank gods with the sanctity of shades he could see that Caleb was relatively unharmed, that he was safe but he wondered now if the rest of the others had been pulled into this strange world yet and it was only a matter of finding them.

So many questions danced through his mind. But if the Overseer, whomever they were, saw fit to bring Caleb to him-- he was not going to complain.

It was quite easy to launch right into shop talk, as wizards were wont to do. Magic was easy, it was a passion that they both shared, same with knowledge-- something that had driven the two of them on their respective paths. "I take it that you have discovered that we are without our powers." except Essek did have something-- he'd, at a new acquaintances' suggestion, drank from it.

He wondered briefly if Caleb had taken that same chance as well, well there was one way to find out. "If you found a bottle with you, you will get some level of power depending on the colour."

Oh. Oh they were talking shop. Yes, that made sense, didn't it? There was a great deal about this place that needed to be analyzed and explored, and not the least of which was the utter lack of his own magic responding when he reached for it.

A nod in agreement. Yes, without his magic which left him so entirely vulnerable that it was overwhelming. He imagined he understood a little better now what Fjord had felt like when his Patron had deliberately shut him off from his abilities.

At the mention of the bottle, he nodded. "Yes, I did find it. ...and drank it." Because of course he had. He held out a hand and a thoroughly unimpressive little display of flames sparked up along his hand. Barely on par with his produce flame cantrip. "I suppose it is something."

"Well it is good to know that your flames have not deserted you, at least not when you drank the potion." a wry smile because he had thought that Caleb would absolutely drink it, he was the type-- just like him, who'd rather have something than nothing. He held out his own palm facing upward and then with his other hand he made a pass. Then on it appeared three singular icicles, sharpened to fine points.

"Granted, it is not Dunamancy however-- it will do, for now."

Poetic really that the base elemental that called to Essek would be ice-- the polar opposite to Caleb's own fire aspect. Poetic because fire and ice could cause the most conceivable destruction to each other, could cause the most complications within each other but also together it was said that opposites inherently drawn to each other time and again.

Essek, behind shades, allowed his eyes to make a survey of Caleb from the fire against palm, and then downward. A wellness check, yes that was what it was. Then his eyes alit upon the swimming shorts and he could not stop a snort from his mouth, and it felt positively inelegant as he moved to clasp his hand then over his mouth. "Whatever are you wearing, Caleb? Is that a.. cat?"

Caleb had only barely hesitated in drinking the potion, which probably did not speak too highly of his common sense when faced with an utter lack of his own magic. But it had turned out, and he had entirely too much else to worry about at the moment, so that was relegated to something to think about later. His eyebrows lifted slightly as he watched Essek craft the shards of ice in his palm.

"That seems a valuable skill at the current moment. Anything besides scorching heat seems in short supply here."

It was not lost on Caleb either, the fact that they stood before each other perfect polar opposites, and he could not deny the pull he felt towards the other wizard was all too like the opposite pole of a magnet. It was fitting.

At the next question he started and fought a blush as he glanced down at himself. "I did not choose it! It simply appeared. But, I admit I like it. It is a cat! Look he is in the clouds where cats do not belong." It was clearly delightful, and an amused smile flickered its way across Caleb's lips, half because of the cat and half because he could tell Essek was amused, and that was... nice. It was nice.

Oh..

Oh no--

Caleb Widogast had absolutely no reason being that absolutely stunningly adorable. Essek fought the blush, thankfully the shadows of his hat brim seemed to hide a good deal of it, even as he stifled another laugh against the palm of his hand. The enthusiasm for cats was noted and his heart felt nearly sickning in it's fullness. Why was it that he was so very happy that Caleb could take such sincere pleasure in something like that? Perhaps it was because he had a tentative understanding of what Caleb had been through.

And honestly-- Essek was at the point where he would fight anyone for this man's happiness. A new feeling since for the longest time he'd only ever really cared about his own well-being; but that had never truly included smiles or everything 'good' that he wished upon this fire wizard.

"It suits you, and I mean that as a compliment." the happiness or the cat swimming trunks, it remained to be seen; perhaps it was both in equal measures. There was a brief hesitance that he displayed before continuing. "Do you.. I mean we are both here now. Do you want to wade in together?" Essek had been intending too, and he was not going to stop his plans now.

Maybe it would be nice to have the company of a dear friend.

Caleb was fortunate than any blushing he did could be blamed on the fact that he was a ginger in the full sun and therefore was expected to be turning alarming shades of red. If there were kindness in the world, his sudden switch of clothing had come with SPF for all his otherwise unclothed areas.

His smile lingered another moment at the nearly held back laughter. There was something in the air that seemed to buoy his spirit anyway, and Caleb had not thought too closely on that. Happiness was a rare thing, and he would not turn his nose up at it -- even if he may have in the past. Bit by bit, Caleb Widogast was coming to accept that even someone like him could deserve a small bit of joy, as a treat, every now and again.

So when Essek proposed heading into the water, the Zemnian wizard was quick to nod. "Ja. I think I would like that very much. It's been a while since I've been int he ocean when something wasn't trying to kill me."

The acceptance was easy, almost too easy-- it left Essek a little uncertain. Although his mind trailed back to Aeor-- to the steps that they have been taking, the gradual re-establishment of a road that they had been taking. Perhaps they had lost their way but maybe they were finding it again? And this felt like friendship, but a different sort from the one he held from the rest of the Nein.

A moment of thought, Essek rarely did anything without thought, and then he held out his hand. It was a bit awkward, fingers outstretched but the meaning was there despite how he felt that it may have come across as.

"I should be honest. The last time that I was in Nicodranas, the thing that I most wanted to do was run out into the ocean."

The last time he'd been in Nicodranas, he'd been discovered as being the betrayer to his country; so this was a surprising reveal and one that he spoke with perhaps a healthy dose of shyness to his voice even as he cast his eyes to the deliciously blue waters that somehow reminded him of Caleb's eyes-- as blue as those waters. He had not cast himself into the sea like a heathen, and perhaps that was one of the smaller regrets he'd had for that singular couple of days.

They had been rebuilding trust that had been shaken, piece by piece, moment by moment. If anyone understood the desire not be judged only for the worst thing one had ever done, it was Caleb Widogast. He knew his own sins weren't the type to ever be forgiven, but he had to believe that he could still do some good, some small piece of atonement. He believed that about Essek Thelyss too, that the Shadowhand was more than one action, one series of choices.

Despite this, Caleb was still surprised to see that hand extended towards him. It felt like something more than just the physical gesture. Surprised or not, he smiled and reached to take the offered hand, fingers catching with Essek's in a light but secure hold.

"Is that so?" That certainly had been a fraught visit in the end. His eyes remained on Essek even as the drow looked out over the water. His smile softened ever so slightly and he finally looked out to the water himself. "Then we should make the most of this now, ja?"

A pause and he added. "That was the first thing I did, the first time I saw the ocean in Nicodranus, actually." Stripped and just plunged straight in.

If Essek had not trusted Caleb, he would never have offered his hand.

Trust, something that held so much liability to himself and yet here he was now with Caleb holding his hand and both of them stepping toward ocean as blue as the sky. Clear and limitless; and perhaps he could understand Caleb's choice to dive in even if his own upbringing had generally prevented him from doing so.

And so Essek tugged Caleb toward the waves, with the seafoam laughing and sparkling with motes of the setting sun in a playful dance.

The waters of the Northern sea had never been the most hospitable-- cold and murky; certainly not built for things such as swimming save for perhaps such competition as the Festival of Merit. This was far preferable and as his feet touched the waters and the waves swirled about them, a laugh rose up to his mouth and past his lips and his free hand moved to keep on his sun hat and then he was in at his ankle and the waters were both cool and warm to him.

"I do not blame you; I've never been free enough to do something like this." until he took Caleb's hand, but that lay unspoken betwixt them.

Caleb followed, the water cool as it lapped at first his feet and then his legs, a welcome difference from the sun-baked air. The waves were gentle and the water itself clear and utterly welcoming. There was something vaguely dreamlike to the whole scene, from the strange midnights sands to the fact that his fingers were curled around the cooler, perfectly manicured fingers of Essek Thelyss.

Then he heard that laughter, turning in time to see Essek reach to hold his hat on, and suddenly the waves and the sand were far from the most amazing sight on this beach. Oh. Yes, definitely a dreamscape. A good dream.

"You are now, ja? So come, we can't stop here." He shifted ahead to gently tug at the hand in his own, to lead the drow out to deeper waters.

Part of him wondered if this wasn't just a Aoerian fever dream, borne of every fancy that he had harbored in that bitter cold landscape. So many dreams, among them the one to come back out of Aeor alive, a promise to return-- with Caleb, to research ancient aoerian technology and nurture their wizard souls. A hope that if they made it out alive, he would not fuck up his friendship with Caleb, or the rest of the Nein, again.

He squished the sand underneath the surface with his toes and then he wandered thigh deep into the waters. He had to pull his hand out of Caleb's hand but only so that he could shrug out of his cover-up, balling it up and tossing it back toward the shore.

It fell short, caught by the summer breeze where it fell into the waters, a sheer floater of black gauze buoyed along waves in silent rebellion to the surface.

"Well that did not go as expected.." though a shrug and then he lowered himself deeper into the waters. Until he remembered. "You know, I do not precisely know how to swim." he said this, remembering that was often times a criteria for swimming, wasn't it? He'd never really had cause to learn, had never been interested in it. "My Dalhni can, but unfortunately it was not something that had ever been a priority."

Caleb watched as Essek tossed the cover-up back towards shore, and couldn't help a quiet laugh as it landed in the water. "It was a good effort," he assured the drow with a note of teasing in his voice. They were wizards. They were not expected to be able to aim or throw with too much accuracy. Or oomph. Though here, in this place, with their magic stripped away, it did leave Caleb feeling uncomfortably defenseless. At least it had until whatever subtle magic this beach possessed had lifted his mood.

Of course, finding Essek here might have had something to do with that.

The Zemnian Wizard let himself settle into the water -- blissfully cool -- as well, looking over as Essek spoke. "It's mostly a matter of keeping your arms and legs moving together. But do not worry, I can swim well enough. I won't let the ocean have you."

Caleb would not let the ocean have him.

Essek didn't know why those words hit the way they did but they left him feeling warm and he thanked the ocean underneath that it served as a cooling agent. The potion that he had consumed also left him feeling cool in which case he was actually comfortable right now and because of that comfort, his eyes were able to drift back to Caleb, so that he could look appreciatively on the cat wizard even as he took Caleb's advice and just kept moving though he did not go further then perhaps it was wise to.

Mid torso seemed to be around his speed, it appeared. He was not going to play the fates by delving any further.

He was not Icarus of the waters.

"I would like to discuss the complete absence of magic with you. I think that it would be beneficial to join forces in this so as to figure out the most expedient way to get our spells back. I remember you once told a terrible joke in the Room of Possibility, about what do you call a group of wizards in the same room.. and that is trouble."

It was not terrible, Essek had laughed at it after all.

"Now is the time to be that trouble, yes?"

Caleb took a moment to let his hair down, copper tresses falling loose, just past his shoulders by this point. That done, he ducked himself under the water entirely, emerging to smooth his hair back out of his face. Much cooler. He was clearly happy with being in the waves for the moment, a temporary but welcome respite from the scorching heat.

Not for the first time, he silently grumped about not having access to his magic, because his Tower was always the perfect temperature. Grumping wouldn't do any actual good of course, and it was short lived anyway when Essek spoke again.

"I agree. Now is exactly that time. I would feel more reassured working together, certainly."

A pause and he lifted an eyebrow. "Even if you are clearly wrong about the quality of that joke. It was very good. I seem to remember you laughing."

"I did laugh.." Essek conceded with a wry smile; a pleasant memory and perhaps one that had bound them together, that Caleb had taken him to the Room of Possibility was not lost on him the honour, but also a pocket of possibility within Caleb's own mind, held within a spell? Such an amazing concept that had taken his breath away, the sheer genius and something he'd never beheld before.

Like staring into the Beacon.

Part of Essek wondered if perhaps Caleb had been consecuted; such a thing semeed likely with the intimacy at which the beacon seemed inherent in the room. That was not something that he wanted to bring up here and now though, but it was tucked away like a pocket for later.

"I would be willing to hear more jokes from you as I am sure that they are all very devestating, Caleb Widogast." Essek was checking his nails. Did the drow sound.. playful? Or perhaps it was the surf, sun and sand that was getting to him. Maybe it was just the subtle playfulness that had swirled around Aeor as they had danced in a strange ritual. Likely, it was both.

"It is best to keep me on my toes-- both professionally and otherwise."

Caleb nodded, allowing himself to look smug only briefly. That was right. Essek had laughed. He let his own thoughts drift back to that memory, of sharing that space within his Tower with Essek, a glimpse into his own subconscious more than anything else.

He rather thought if he could cast the Tower again -- when he could cast the tower again -- he ought to do a little rearranging, to carve a space out for Essek as well, just as the rest of the Nein had their places in his sanctuary. It was something to think on, to prepare for when he managed to reclaim his magic.

"Oh they are. You may not recover. Bards are not the only ones who can cast laughter." The Zemnian wizard looked back at Essek with something of a playful challenge in his own town. "I don't believe I've ever seen you actually on your toes before today." Floaty drow man.

Edited 2023-07-06 01:43 (UTC)

It was a good memory that was wrapped up second chances for the both of them.

Before the moment, it had been wary between them but when Caleb had taken him up there into the Room of Possibility-- he'd felt that it was a new beginning for the two of them, a way to start over and build trust anew and Caleb had trusted him enough to show him such a wonder, and it had stuck in his mind exactly that concept, and would not leave so easily. Essek would ruminate on it and perhaps read too much into it aside from scholarly kinship of two peers.

"I think that I wanted a chance to feel the sand between my toes.. and also floating is a moot point in the water, yes?" a wry smile cast in Caleb's direction before he looked quickly away. "I can still float up to your eye level if I so choose to do so." was that a bit of confidence in Essek's voice that seemed to be buoyant upon sea breeze and dancing over the rays of the soon to be setting sun.

And he was attempting not to gape at how the rays of the setting sun seemed to adore the ginger wizard, painting him in shades of the sunset; his back was turned to the sun but he did not need to see it, not really-- not while Caleb was standing there with wet hair and freckled skin and eyes that rivaled the waters surrounding them.

And Caleb was treated to the view of Essek backlit by the sun, something of an ethereal halo effect around the silhouette of the drow. But by far the most stunning sight at the moment was the ease on the other wizard's face, that smile, wry or not, caught in a flicker before Essek's eyes moved away.

"Oh, well, ja. That is a point. We are both capable of floating just here."

As if to illustrate, Caleb eased down further into the water, lifting his legs and leaning back into a float, letting the water buoy him about, eyes finding the clear blue sky above.

Essek said nothing, instead watched how Caleb was comfortable in this moment. More so than perhaps he'd ever seen him and he did not know why that managed to move a heart long since resolved not to move, why it tugged on him so and demanded to be acknowledged for what it was-- the waters of which spanned out before them in a spiraling infinity.

Right now, the lack of magic did not bother him so much.

In fact, Essek felt like he would remember this moment for his entire life, the feeling of being one with the water and in perfect accord with Caleb. He leaned back as well, trusting despite his lack of swimming that he could make himself light as air, and the waves cushioned him and his back, of course it would-- master of gravity that he was. "I suppose you are right, that in the waters we are equal-- but I think we are equal regardless, we do not need the waters to tell us that."

And he considered Caleb Widogast every inch his equal, a man who had risen to the challenge and brought his all to bare and thereby had made him so very proud even though Essek did not say it in so many words. If he closed his lids, the sunlight felt good upon them-- taking the brunt of any reaction that he could've felt.

"I hope they are okay."

He knew Caleb would know what he was talking about, their friends-- the Nein.

Caleb was more relaxed than he had been in what felt like a very long time, that was certainly true. Part of it may well have been the magic of the place, part of it was likely the company.

There was so much going on in his mind right now, it was a nice break. Momentary though that break might be.

"Ja. We are that, aren't we? On even footing, as friends." Friends and nothing more complicated, of course. Nope. Except it was complicated, exceptionally -- but not unpleasantly -- so.

"So do I." Caleb knew exactly who Essek meant. "But I am certain they are. They are formidable, ja? And I think that time may be waiting for us to return. At least, that seems to be what happened before." A pause, a brief moment of quiet before he added. "This is not the first time I have been stolen away to a strange world."

They were.. friends. Yes, friends.

He remembered telling Ludinus Da'leth that he should try friends, remember having the Nein in his mind when he said it. The complicated mess that was their chaos and the way that he felt when he had been found out, that he had betrayed them. He had never felt so bad as when he had been kneeling there on the ship and with Caleb looking down into his eyes and reading every single insecurity there.

The next bit revealed and he shifted in the water and slowly waded closer to Caleb's side in the float. "This is not?" there were questions in his voice, curiousity. "A world like this?" Being a wizard, of course Essek had studied the multiverse and held some fascination with it-- whatever lay beyond the Astral Sea.

"Would you perhaps.. indulge my curiousity, Caleb Widogast?"

Caleb had seen so much of himself in Essek Thelyss in that moment, when secrets and betrayals had come out. He had seen a man too caught up in his own desire for knowledge, obsession really, if he was being honest with himself. He knew how sweet a song the promise of knowledge and power sung.

He wanted to help Essek move on from it, had already made the decision to reinvest his trust in the other wizard, when the Nein had decided to ally with the Dunamancer and travel into Aeor together.

Shifting in the water so he could look at Essek better, he nodded at the question. "Yes, of course. A world like this -- strange and full of peoples and things that have never been seen on Exandria. It was ruled over by an extremely powerful being -- she called herself Thirteen, or the Fox -- capricious and by turns kind and cruel. She seemed to draw energy from us, and put us in situations to maximize that."

TDM #4

Indigo Sand Grove - Hot Boi Summer Y'all

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